FORT LAUDERDALE — The Florida Panthers are still technically in the running for a playoff spot, which means they are still the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions.
But given the 11-point distance between them and the final wild-card spot, the Panthers role as the season winds down is more spoiler than challenger.
At the moment, moneypuck.com gives Florida a 1.7 percent chance of making the playoffs, ending with a projected 87 points.
It has been only four days since the last meeting between Detroit and Florida.
The shorthanded Panthers played a solid game in the 3-1 victory, snapping a four-game losing streak.
Sergei Bobrovsky was near perfect in net and looked recovered from his two prior losses of which he relinquished eight goals on 57 shots.
With the win, Bobrovsky improved his lifetime mastery over Detroit to 29-8-2 with a 1.84/.935.
Detroit bounced back from the loss by shutting out the Devils 3-0.
The bad news for Detroit is that goalie John Gibson did not come out for the third period after being injured in a goalmouth collision as the second period was ending.
Cam Talbot finished the game and will probably start against the Panthers tonight.
Coach Todd McLellan called Gibson’s injury “minor.”
In the few days since the Red Wings and Panthers last met, the improved Detroit team has improved even more.
This looks like the year Detroit will end its nine-year playoff drought.
Currently they are in third place in the Atlantic Division, one point ahead of the Montreal Canadiens who have two games in hand.
The Wings were winners in the trade deadline derby, landing veteran defenseman Justin Faulk and reacquiring forward David Perron.
They played a high price for the 33-year-old Faulk, relinquishing first- and third-round picks in this year’s draft as well as two players. On the positive side, he is signed through next season.
Perron is in the final year of a two-year, $8 million contract he signed with Ottawa.
Faulk made his debut Sunday against New Jersey. Perron is still recuperating from a sports hernia and is a few weeks away from a return.
On the negative side, Dylan Larkin left Friday’s game with an injury to his right leg.
Larkin, who is second on the team with 28 goals, is considered day-to-day. He is with the team and is likely a game day decision.
Detroit missed the playoffs by five points last season. The year before they missed on a tiebreaker. They found out they were eliminated while playing overtime of the final game.
McLellan is well aware that the team’s position right now is favorable but tenuous.
The Wings have been here before — only to end in disappointment.
“A day at a time. Everywhere I go, everybody is asking us about March,’’ he said. “We don’t have to answer those questions. That’s for teams in the past. I keep saying we’re going to write our own story. We’re going to have a tough time winning every game. Nobody does that.
“We just need to keep playing simple hockey, stay healthy and take care of each other.”
Detroit is hungry, especially the veterans.
Larkin hasn’t been to the playoffs in his 10 previous NHL seasons.
Gibson was last in the playoffs in 2018 with Anaheim.
The loyal fans of Hockeytown have been patient but are frustrated.
The Wings will come to play tonight.
ON DECK: GAME No. 64
DETROIT RED WINGS at FLORIDA PANTHERS
